A public hearing will be held tonight (Thursday) in Atlantic, with regard to a proposed amendment to the Cass County Zoning Ordinance, which would possibly allow for a change to the Business District section of the Ordinance. Some people have expressed concern or interest that the change, if eventually approved by the Board of Supervisors, would permit a business to sell and repair firearms, and/or locate and indoor shooting gallery. But Zoning Administrator Rich Hansen says that topic itself is not on the agenda for tonight’s meeting.

He says “We’re just updating the permitted uses in Business District. Nothing [In the proposed amendment] has firearm sales and repair, or indoor shooting facility,” but there is interest in that type of business coming into the area, so the Commission wanted to update the zoning so it can be approved under Business District. Hansen says the Commission will simple be updating the Zoning Manual to allow a business dealing with guns, into a Business or Light Industrial District. He says the person who has shown some interest in establishing the type of business that would fall under the proposed amendment, has been thinking about the matter for a few years.

Any action taken by the Commission tonight will have to be approved by the County Board of Supervisors. Hansen says there’s really no need for people to get upset about the possibility of a shooting range being locating near Atlantic or any other community, at least for the immediate future. He says right now they’re simply updating their zoning books to allow that type of business, if someone was seriously considering, and had the resources to invest in it.

The hearing will be held in the basement meeting room at the Cass County Courthouse, beginning at 7-p.m.